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Model picks & player props
Phoenix Mercury
VS
Portland Fire

Phoenix Mercury vs Portland Fire Picks & Predictions

Model updated Sep 11, 7:05AM UTC

We checked every price on this game against our own numbers. The green ones are the bets worth more than they should be.

WNBA
Fri 18 Sep 2026, 2:00AM
20
Game markets graded
0
Props graded
The model's one call for this gamethe prediction, first
Over 161.5 Alt Total Points -526

The model graded 20 markets for Phoenix Mercury vs Portland Fire (WNBA) and this is the one it backs hardest — HIGH confidence. A $100 bet returns about $119 if it lands. This one is free — every other market and all player props are Pro. Tip-off Fri 18 Sep 2026, 2:00AM.

Our confidenceHigh
Chance to win96.8%
The price says80.5%
Best price-526
The rest of this game's boardgraded market by market
Alt Total Points Over 161.5 High97% chance -526
Alt Total Points High97% chance
Spread Lean59% chance
Alt Spread High60% chance
Alt Spread High62% chance
Alt Spread High66% chance
Alt Spread High63% chance
Alt Spread High68% chance
Alt Spread High65% chance
High = 60%+ chance to win · Lean = 40–60% · Long-shot = under 40%
How they've been scoring this season
Phoenix MercuryPortland Fire
Won-lost13-2616-24
Points scored per game83.886.6
Points allowed per game87.891.1
On the road / at home7-12 away8-12 at home
Last 5 gamesLLLLWLLLWL
Their games average 174.6 total points this season.
From the 39 Phoenix Mercury and 40 Portland Fire games on our books this season.
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Every pick is logged and graded — nothing hidden after the fact. See the verified record
This gameBets like this sit in our formula’s best WNBA market — 1,718 of 2,295 right (wnba totals unders)
Today’s picks post before the games start.logged in public before tip-offSee the picks page

Game picks

GOOD PRICE in green
Alt Total Points
Over
161.5
+ 19 more markets
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Calibrated model vs market

Our chance vs the price, market by market
PickMarketModel lean
OverAlt Total PointsThe model likes this price 🔒 Unlock with Pro
OverAlt Total PointsThe model likes this price 🔒 Unlock with Pro
Portland FireSpreadThe model likes this price 🔒 Unlock with Pro
Portland FireAlt SpreadThe model likes this price 🔒 Unlock with Pro
Portland FireAlt SpreadThe model likes this price 🔒 Unlock with Pro
Portland FireAlt SpreadThe model likes this price 🔒 Unlock with Pro
Portland FireAlt SpreadThe model likes this price 🔒 Unlock with Pro
Portland FireAlt SpreadThe model likes this price 🔒 Unlock with Pro
Portland FireAlt SpreadThe model likes this price 🔒 Unlock with Pro
Portland FireAlt SpreadThe model likes this price 🔒 Unlock with Pro
Portland FireAlt SpreadThe model likes this price 🔒 Unlock with Pro
Portland FireAlt SpreadThe model likes this price 🔒 Unlock with Pro
Portland FireAlt SpreadThe model likes this price 🔒 Unlock with Pro
Portland FireAlt SpreadThe model likes this price 🔒 Unlock with Pro
Portland FireAlt SpreadThe model likes this price 🔒 Unlock with Pro

Which price is actually worth taking?

Pro shows you, in plain English, how far each price is off — and how much to put on it. No maths needed on your side.

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Market intelligence for this game

Line move · best book · closing line
The market drifted away from Phoenix Mercury on this game.

Line movement

▼ moved toward Phoenix Mercury
Exact move size 🔒 Pro

Best price right now

Polymarket
on Portland Fire
Best-price gain 🔒 Pro
Derived from a multi-book scan — we publish the direction, the best-book name and our derived value only, never a raw per-book odds board.

Injuries & who's out

Injuries & availability

Phoenix Mercury

  • Kelsey Plum GOut
  • Kahleah Copper GOut
  • Valeriane Ayayi FOut
  • Kyara Linskens COut
  • Jovana Nogic GOut

Portland Fire

  • Frieda Buhner FOut
  • Carla Leite GOut
  • Luisa Geiselsoder COut
  • Sarah Ashlee Barker GOut
  • Sania Feagin FOut
Availability updated Sep 7, 10:33PM UTC · refreshed roughly every 4 hours.

Weather & injury impact for this fixture

Conditions · who's out · how it moves the number
For Phoenix Mercury vs Portland Fire: Weather isn't a tracked factor for this fixture, and 10 players are listed out or questionable across both sides.
FactorThis fixture
Availability10 listed out or questionable (see Who's out above)

Pro — weather & injury-adjusted view

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The preview

Written 11 Sep

Portland Fire vs Phoenix Mercury Prediction & Picks: Winning Game Angles

On Friday 18 September 2026, Portland Fire play Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA. Our model likes 2 bets here. The one it likes most is Portland Fire +1.5 on the Line, priced at -108 when we wrote this. Here is the thinking behind each pick, in plain English.

Portland Fire +1.5 on the Line (-108)

Odds available at LowVig at time of publishing

Portland Fire has a slight advantage with a scoring difference that suggests they can keep up with Phoenix Mercury. Their recent form shows they are competitive, and our numbers see this matchup as very close. The Fire's ability to score and rebound puts them in a good position to cover the spread. However, the most concrete risk is just how tight this matchup is, with our model expecting a narrow finish. Betting on Portland Fire to win by at least 1.5 points feels like a solid choice, especially since they are playing at home. Keep an eye on how both teams perform, but this could be a fun pick. It was priced at -108 when we wrote this, so a $10 bet returns $19.30 if it lands. The number next to the team is the handicap, and that team's score is adjusted by it before the bet is settled. The bookmakers have this as a slight favourite. Our model leans this way without loving it. Prices move, so check the price at your bookmaker before you back it. And if this one does not feel right to you, skipping it is a perfectly good move.

Over 164.5 Total Points (-370)

Odds available at Fanatics at time of publishing

Portland Fire play Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA on Friday 18 September 2026. The bet we are looking at is Over 164.5 Total Points. That is a total points bet. It was priced at -370 when we wrote this, so a $10 bet returns $12.70 if it lands. This is an alternate line, so it is not the main number on the board and the price moves with it. The bookmakers have this as a clear favourite. Our model likes this one a lot. Prices move, so check the price at your bookmaker before you back it. And if this one does not feel right to you, skipping it is a perfectly good move.

That is how our model reads Portland Fire v Phoenix Mercury. Prices move, so check the price at your bookmaker before you back anything. And if a game does not feel right to you, the strongest move is to skip it -- there is another one tomorrow.

Bet Better model desk · read as an article

Phoenix Mercury @ Portland Fire — what the model found

Our model graded 20 betting markets for Phoenix Mercury at Portland Fire — 20 on the game itself and 0 on individual players. One pick is free on this page.

20
Game markets graded

The model checked every betting market for this game and graded 20 of them. One pick is free on this page — the one the model likes most. Scroll down to see it.

🔒 The other 19 graded calls for this game — with how much to bet on each — are for members.
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Phoenix Mercury vs Portland Fire — recent results

Portland Fire have won 1 of their last 5 games; Phoenix Mercury have won 1 of their last 5.

Portland Fire — last 5
ResultScoreOpponentWhere
L69–86GSHome
W101–83ATLAway
L78–96DALAway
L100–105WSHHome
L79–82TORAway
Phoenix Mercury — last 5
ResultScoreOpponentWhere
W101–69TORHome
L73–80WSHHome
L84–94WSHHome
L89–99ATLHome
L85–88PORHome

Phoenix Mercury vs Portland Fire — recent meetings

These two have met 2 times recently: Portland Fire won 1, Phoenix Mercury won 1.

DatePortland FirePhoenix MercuryWinner
Aug 168885Portland Fire
Jun 67278Phoenix Mercury

Who’s out or in doubt

10 players are listed as out or in doubt for this game.

Portland Fire
PlayerStatus
Frieda Buhner FOUT
Carla Leite GOUT
Luisa Geiselsoder COUT
Sarah Ashlee Barker GOUT
Sania Feagin FOUT
Phoenix Mercury
PlayerStatus
Kelsey Plum GOUT
Kahleah Copper GOUT
Valeriane Ayayi FOUT
Kyara Linskens COUT
Jovana Nogic GOUT

The full availability report — with what each missing player means for the bets — is further down this page.

Phoenix Mercury @ Portland Fire — where the money went

Since betting opened on Phoenix Mercury at Portland Fire, the market has moved away from Phoenix Mercury across the main game markets.

BetWhat the money did
Moneyline — Phoenix Mercury▼ Money drifted off this
Moneyline — Portland Fire▲ Money came for this
Spread — Phoenix Mercury -2.5▼ Money drifted off this
Spread — Portland Fire 2.5▲ Money came for this
Total Points — Over 177.5▼ Money drifted off this
Total Points — Under 177.5▲ Money came for this
Spread — Phoenix Mercury -1.5▼ Money drifted off this
Spread — Portland Fire 1.5▲ Money came for this
🔒 Exact prices and how far each line moved are for members. Unlock →
Built from a multi-book scan — we publish the direction the market moved, never a raw per-book odds board.

Phoenix Mercury @ Portland Fire — model preview

Portland Fire v Phoenix Mercury, 18 September 2026. Top of the list: Portland Fire +1.5 on the Line. Our model likes 2 bets in this game.

On Friday 18 September 2026, Portland Fire play Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA. Our model likes 2 bets here. The one it likes most is Portland Fire +1.5 on the Line, priced at -108 when we wrote this. Here is the thinking behind each pick, in plain English.

Portland Fire +1.5 on the Line (-108)

Odds available at LowVig at time of publishing

Portland Fire has a slight advantage with a scoring difference that suggests they can keep up with Phoenix Mercury. Their recent form shows they are competitive, and our numbers see this matchup as very close. The Fire's ability to score and rebound puts them in a good position to cover the spread. However, the most concrete risk is just how tight this matchup is, with our model expecting a narrow finish. Betting on Portland Fire to win by at least 1.5 points feels like a solid choice, especially since they are playing at home. Keep an eye on how both teams perform, but this could be a fun pick. It was priced at -108 when we wrote this, so a $10 bet returns $19.30 if it lands. The number next to the team is the handicap, and that team's score is adjusted by it before the bet is settled. The bookmakers have this as a slight favourite. Our model leans this way without loving it. Prices move, so check the price at your bookmaker before you back it. And if this one does not feel right to you, skipping it is a perfectly good move.

🔒 The other 1 write-up for this game — with how much to bet on each — are Pro.
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About this matchup

How we read the game

This page tracks the Bet Better model's pick history and predictions for Phoenix Mercury vs Portland Fire in the WNBA. You may also see this matchup written as Mercury vs Fire, or as Fire vs Mercury. The next scheduled game is Friday 18 September 2026. The model has generated 20 game picks for this matchup. Review the picks and historical data above to guide your WNBA betting strategy for this matchup.

Head-to-head record

Final scores · 2 meetings on record
Even at 1–1 across the last 2 meetings
DateGameScoreWinner
16 Aug 2026Portland Fire @ Phoenix Mercury85–88Portland Fire
6 Jun 2026Phoenix Mercury @ Portland Fire72–78Phoenix Mercury
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